Dreadhorn Peaks

Dreadhorn Peaks

Overview

The Dreadhorn Peaks rise in the northwest of Oblivion Vale. The mountains are steep, cold, and hostile. Roads are narrow and watched from stone towers. Since the Drying, no rivers or lakes remain on the slopes. Survival depends on what is sealed below the rock. Outsiders may pass or trade, but only under strict control.

Land and Weather

The mountains are black stone and broken snowfields. Wind cuts through the passes and can turn deadly without warning. Trees are rare and cling to sheltered ledges. Old river cuts lie dry and deep, now used as hidden paths by raiders. Rockfalls and avalanches are common. Safe travel follows carved roads with chains and reinforced shelters.

Holds and Gate-Cities

Dwarves live in sealed holds carved into stable stone. Each hold is built to close in on itself during crisis. Gates are layered, halls are narrow, and air shafts can be shut. Gate-cities sit at pass mouths behind thick walls. They control all movement into the peaks. These towns handle trade, escorts, and inspections. Nothing enters the high roads without permission.

Authority rests with hold-thanes and gate masters. Records and access are tightly controlled. Outside politics are distrusted. Disputes are settled in closed hearings and enforced without appeal. Orders are carried out by tunnel wardens in the deep and guards at the gates.

Survival and Control

Water is power in the Dreadhorn Peaks. It is stored, guarded, and never treated as private property. Access is granted by hold law, not by family or wealth. Theft is treated as an attack on the hold itself. Punishment is harsh and public. Most homes keep food stores, but no one keeps water unguarded. Anything hidden is seized, and the owner is questioned.

Mines and Trade

The peaks produce iron, silver, black stone, and deep salt. Metal feeds the forges that keep the holds alive. Silver is traded for food, timber, and medicine. Salt is guarded closely because it preserves what little food remains. Mines run deep and are dangerous. Tunnel collapse and exhaustion are constant threats.

Trade moves through a small number of gate-cities. Delays are common. Crews that fail inspections wait, starve, or turn back.

Quarantine Law

Quarantine is absolute. A single report of sickness can seal a tunnel for months. Crews are held outside the holds until cleared. Goods are stripped and treated before entry. Animals are isolated and watched. Anyone suspected of plague exposure is kept far from storage and access points. Entire families can be trapped behind closed gates while reviews are conducted. This keeps the holds alive, but it turns fear into shortage.

Current Pressure

The Dreadhorn Holdfast still stands, but strain is constant. Trade is unreliable. Mining is pushed harder, increasing collapse risk. Quarantines are more frequent. Smuggling grows along dry cuts and forgotten paths. The response is tighter control, harsher punishment, and more sealed zones. In the Dreadhorn Peaks, survival means closed gates, enforced order, and resources that never move without command.